Nigeria’s Defence Chief Unveils Plan To Train Benue Youths As Vigilantes To Combat Terrorist Attacks.
In a move to address the escalating violence in Benue State, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has announced plans to train credible local youths as vigilantes to work under military supervision, replicating a successful model used in Borno State. The initiative aims to bolster community defence against terrorist attacks, following a deadly assault in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, which claimed over 200 lives last Friday.
Speaking during a meeting with traditional rulers in Makurdi on Tuesday, General Musa emphasised the urgent need for community-driven security measures to curb the relentless attacks by suspected armed herders and bandits. “We’ll train youths across Benue State as vigilantes to work with us in defending local communities against terrorist attacks,” he declared, urging traditional leaders to identify trustworthy individuals and expose criminal elements within their domains.
The CDS’s proposal comes amid widespread outrage over the Yelewata massacre, where targeted killings and arson suggested insider collaboration, with Musa alleging that some community members may be leaking intelligence to attackers. “The pattern of killings and burnings shows they were deliberate. This indicates insiders are compromising security efforts,” he said during a visit to the affected area on Monday, vowing to root out saboteurs.
General Musa, accompanied by Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, arrived in Benue on Monday to assess the situation and commiserate with Governor Hyacinth Alia and affected communities. The military chief announced a strategic overhaul, including increased deployments and enhanced border security coordination with neighbouring Nasarawa State, where intelligence suggests attackers may originate. “Wherever they are coming from, we will go after them. We must not wait for them to strike first,” he asserted.
The vigilante training programme, inspired by Borno’s Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), will see selected youths equipped with basic security skills to support military operations while fostering trust between communities and security forces. Musa stressed the importance of unity, urging traditional rulers, religious leaders, and clan heads to collaborate with the military to restore peace. “We cannot do this alone. We need communities to be part of this effort,” he said, addressing concerns about trust deficits.
The initiative has been met with cautious optimism. Maurice Orwough, Chairman of Guma LGA, described Musa’s visit and proposal as a “sign of hope,” noting that it demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to addressing Benue’s plight. “This gives our people confidence that the government is paying attention,” he said. However, some residents remain wary, citing the need for transparency in selecting vigilantes to avoid exacerbating local tensions.
The announcement follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive on Sunday for security agencies to arrest perpetrators and his rescheduling of a planned trip to Kaduna to visit Benue on Wednesday, underscoring the crisis’s urgency. The Inspector General of Police has also deployed additional tactical teams to reclaim territories controlled by bandits, signalling a coordinated effort to restore stability.
Benue, a key agricultural hub in Nigeria’s North-Central region, has endured years of violence linked to herder-farmer conflicts and land disputes, with recent attacks intensifying calls for decisive action. General Musa’s vigilante training plan, if effectively implemented, could mark a turning point in empowering communities to defend themselves while strengthening military efforts to end the bloodshed.
